Civil Rights

HHS Deletes LGBT Resources From Obamacare Site

Just in from the Democratic National Committee: Today, the Sunlight Foundation reported that the Trump-Pence administration’s Department of Health and Human Services removed and altered language from its website on the provision of the Affordable Care Act that prohibits discrimination in health care services.  The move limits access to information and resources that protect women and LGBTQ people, particularly transgender …

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100+ Civil Rights Groups Oppose Brett Kavanaugh

The Hill reports: More than a 100 civil and human rights groups are urging senators to oppose Brett Kavanaugh, President Trump’s latest Supreme Court nominee. In a Tuesday letter, led by the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, the groups say Kavanaugh will be a fifth and decisive vote to undermine a host of core rights and legal protections, …

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SOUTH KOREA: US Embassy Supports Seoul LGBT Pride Festival, Christian Protesters Attempt To Block Parade

The Korea Daily reports: Seoul’s festival had the theme “Queeround,” signifying that there are LGBT people all around us. According to its organizers, a record number of about 120,000 people took part in the festivities despite the sweltering heat, which reached a high of 33 degrees Celsius (91.4 degrees Fahrenheit). Although the festival was organized by Koreans, there was a …

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US House Panel Advances Anti-LGBT Adoption Bill

Metro Weekly reports: The U.S. House Appropriations Committee has attached an amendment to a government funding bill that allows child welfare agencies to discriminate against prospective parents, including same-sex couples, based on the agency’s religious beliefs. The amendment, introduced by U.S> Rep. Robert Aderholt (R-Ala.), was added to a funding bill for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, …

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INDIA: Supreme Court Considers Legalizing Gay Sex

Buzzfeed reports: India could be on the brink of repealing a 157-year-old law that criminalizes gay sex in what is one of the world’s largest and longest-running LGBT legal battles. On a sweltering Tuesday afternoon in a courtroom so full people barely had space to turn around, a bench of five judges from India’s highest court began hearing arguments against …

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UTAH: LGBT Groups March In Provo Parade [VIDEO]

Ben Winslow reports at Salt Lake City’s Fox affiliate: Among the high school marching bands, veterans, pageant queens and politicians, groups representing Utah Valley’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community took some historic steps. After years of being rejected from one of America’s largest patriotic celebrations in one of Utah’s most conservative cities, several LGBT community groups were finally allowed …

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MONTANA: Anti-Trans Measure Fails To Make Ballot

The Associated Press reports: An attempt to let Montana voters decide whether to prohibit transgender people from using the restrooms and locker rooms of their choice has come up short. Supporters of the “Montana Locker Room Privacy Act” got fewer than 10,000 of the more than 25,000 signatures needed to qualify for the November ballot. The Billings Gazette reports they …

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TURKEY: Riot Police Disperse Banned LGBT Pride Parade Marchers With Tear Gas, Rubber Bullets, Dogs [VIDEO]

The Telegraph reports: Gay rights groups and activists pressed ahead with the Istanbul Pride parade on Sunday despite Turkish authorities banning the event for a fourth year in a row. Around 1,000 people gathered near the city’s famous Istiklal Avenue and Taksim Square where organisers had wanted to originally hold the parade. The activists unfolded a large rainbow flag while …

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REPORT: Trump Seeks Advice On Naming Mike Lee To SCOTUS, Worries About Senate Seat Getting Flipped

Bloomberg reports: President Donald Trump has asked advisers their opinions about nominating Utah Senator Mike Lee to replace Justice Anthony Kennedy on the Supreme Court, according to three people familiar with the matter. Trump thinks Lee would be easily confirmed by the Senate, but the president has expressed concern about keeping his Senate seat in Republican hands, one person said. …

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UTAH: Provo Relents On Allowing LGBT Groups In July 4th Parade After Threat To Public Funding [VIDEO]

Ben Winslow reports at Salt Lake City’s Fox affiliate: After hours of sometimes heated negotiation, a deal has been struck that lets a coalition of groups representing Utah County’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community into the popular Freedom Festival parade and patriotic celebration. It came after intense political and community pressure on the festival and hours of closed-door talks …

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UTAH: Provo Bans LGBT Groups From July 4th Parade

Two positive Utah stories today but now this. Ben Winslow reports at Salt Lake City’s Fox affiliate: Mayor Michelle Kaufusi has signed a new agreement with America’s Freedom Festival that includes a non-discrimination clause, but it apparently does not mean that LGBTQ groups will be allowed to march in the July 4 parade. Five LGBTQ groups that asked to be …

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SCOTUS Narrowly Upholds Ohio’s Purge Of Voter Rolls

NBC News reports: In a 5-4 ruling, the U.S. Supreme Court gave Ohio a victory Monday in a fight over the state’s method for removing people from the voter rolls, a practice that civil rights groups said discourages minority turnout. At least a dozen other politically conservative states said they would adopt a similar practice if Ohio prevailed, as a …

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New Hampshire Becomes 13th State To Ban Ex-Gay Torture, 22nd To Ban Gender Identity Discrimination

Manchester’s ABC affiliate reports: Civil libertarians and LGBTQ rights advocates praised Republican Gov. Chris Sununu on Friday after he signed into law a bill prohibiting discrimination on the basis of gender identity. “Discrimination – in any form – is unacceptable and runs contrary to New Hampshire’s Live Free or Die Spirit,” Sununu said in a statement after signing House Bill …

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BREAKING: Arizona Appeals Court Upholds LGBT Protections In Ruling That Cites SCOTUS Cake Decision

LeGaL executive director Eric Lesh reports at Medium: In the first lower court ruling applying Masterpiece Cakeshop, the Arizona Court of Appeals rejected the argument that business owners have a license to discriminate against same-sex couples in Brush & NIB Studio v City of Phoenix. This case was brought by the Alliance Defending Freedom. This shows that the Supreme Court’s …

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ACLU Sues Over 2020 Census Citizenship Question

The Associated Press reports: Civil rights lawyers sued the U.S. Commerce Department on Wednesday to try to stop plans to add a citizenship question to the 2020 census. The Manhattan federal court lawsuit on behalf of immigrants’ rights groups says racial animus was behind a recent announcement that the census will include a citizenship question for the first time since …

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Log Cabin Republicans Hail “Wise” Cake Ruling

Via press release: When faced with the contentious issue of balancing religious freedom and LGBT equality, today the Supreme Court wisely decided to hit the pause button. There will be many on the left who will say that this ruling opens the door to rampant discrimination, and many on the right who will declare that this is a major milestone …

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DNC Chair Tom Perez: This Case Was Never About Cake

“This case was never just about a wedding cake. It was about all people– no matter who they are – having the right to celebrate their love without facing discrimination. The Democratic Party believes that no individual has a license to discriminate. We believe in the dignity of every human being. And we will continue to fight for equality for …

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ACLU: SCOTUS Ruling Leaves LGBT Protections Intact

Via press release from the ACLU: The Supreme Court today reaffirmed the core principle that businesses open to the public must be open to all in Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission. The court did not accept arguments that would have turned back the clock on equality by making our basic civil rights protections unenforceable, but reversed this case …

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CALIFORNIA: AG Xavier Becerra Bans State-Funded Travel To Oklahoma Over Anti-LGBT Adoption Law

The Los Angeles Times reports: California will ban state-funded travel to Oklahoma because of a new law there that lets private agencies deny placement of adopted children with same-sex couples, state Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra announced Friday. Oklahoma is the ninth state to fall under California’s anti-discrimination travel ban, joining Alabama, Mississippi, North Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee, Texas, South Dakota and …

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State Department Recognizes LGBTI Pride Month: We Reaffirm Our Commitment To Defending Human Rights

Just in from the State Department: The United States joins people around the world in celebrating Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Intersex (LGBTI) Pride Month, and reaffirms its commitment to protecting and defending the human rights of all, including LGBTI persons. In many parts of the world, LGBTI individuals and their supporters continue to face violence, arrest, harassment and intimidation …

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